At the core of LCIF’s mission is our work to improve lives. We prevent avoidable blindness, assist disabled people to become more independent, help people prevent or manage health issues and support youth in positive development. Core 4 grants address these priorities by providing up to US$200,000 for large-scale projects that qualify under one of four core service commitment program areas: preserving sight, combating disability, promoting health and serving youth.

Core 4 priority projects are pre-determined and a Core 4 grant request must fund a project related to the priorities. Core 4 grants aim to make start-up projects sustainable; therefore Multiple Districts are able to receive one Core 4 grant per project.

Current Core 4 Priority Projects

Combating Disability

• Building Homes for the blind and disabled with Habitat for Humanity
• Eye care for Special Olympics Athletes

Promoting Health

• Learn about our core grant program to help with Diabetes prevention and treatment

Serving Youth

• Expansion of Lions Quest

Preserving Sight

• Projects are currently being discussed by the Board of Trustees and will be posted here once finalized.

Find the following Core 4 Grant Applications:

• Diabetes Grant Criteria/Application
• Lions Quest Grant Criteria/Application
• Lions Quest Promotional Grant Criteria/Application

Examples of recent Core 4 grant projects include:

• In Virginia, USA, District 24-A received US$72,649 to establish a Lions Core 4 Diabetes program, which will educate and screen underserved communities against diabetes. The program will hold a total of 2,500 diabetic screenings, with up to 1,000 people also receiving diabetic retinopathy screenings. Lions will also hold 200 diabetes self-management courses, reaching 500 people.

• A US$100,000 Core 4 grant was approved to support the partnership between Lions Quest and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The partnership will combine the Lions Quest program with the UNODC’s existing family-based life skills work in Central Asia and Southeastern Europe and will be piloted in Serbia and Montenegro.